Olive boom in Burgenland: How career changers change agriculture

Olive boom in Burgenland: How career changers change agriculture

Mörbisch am Neusiedlersee, Österreich - Agriculture in Austria has changed a lot in recent years, and it is above all the climatic changes that stimulate farmers for new ideas. A remarkable example can be found in Burgenland, where a couple launched olive growing - an exciting alternative to traditional viticulture.

in Mörbisch am Neusiedlersee, a region with over 300 sundays a year, Franz and Sabine Günther took the first step into a new future in 2017: they planted 59 olive trees after the clearing of an old vineyard. The concept goes back to the adaptive challenges of climate change, which now enables heat -resistant plants, such as the olive, also to grow in northern latitudes. Also Wochenblatt DLV emphasizes that women and men from agriculture are increasingly rising on new growing methods.

the olive grove as a sideline

Franz works full -time as an installer, Sabine as a flight attendant, and yet with a lot of passion, they devote themselves to their olive grove, which now includes an area of 2.4 hectares and has been bio -certified since 2020. You not only specialize in the cultivation of 18 different types of olive, but also offer workshops for sustainable nutrition and organic agriculture. This idea is supported by Olivia Bio, where Sabine passes on her knowledge of biodiversity and nutrition.

The care of the trees happens similarly to viticulture: with regular tree cuts and careful ground care, the couple ensures that their trees stay healthy. They also particularly cleverly took care of the promotion of biodiversity by creating habitats for benefits such as Wiesel and lizards. Birds of prey and other animals help to keep pests such as mice that harm the roots of the olive trees.

olive oil production in Burgenland

The first olive oil production by Günthers took place in 2023. With 130 kg harvested olives, they produced 17 liters of valuable oil. Her cooperation with Olivae Pannonae Superioris in Rust, which supports the production of Burgenland olive oil, shows that olive construction also gained a foothold in this region. The plan is already to put your own oil press into operation by 2026 to further increase your own production.

Thanks to climate change, olive growing is now also becoming a possible business area in Germany and other parts of Central Europe. In frisn.de it is pointed out that hobby farmers in Germany have also started to create olive groves. Experts estimate that the professional cultivation of olives could be a promising option for agriculture in the coming years.

In this dynamic environment, the Günthers show that agriculture in Austria will remain diverse and sustainable with a creative approach and a good hand. Her vision sounds clear: olives instead of wine, and with a solid foundation of knowledge and commitment.